Assignment 2
The following are a few (28) of the standards that are directly related to teaching at the middle school level or teaching in an interdisciplinary fashion. From these standards and indicators a number of questions have been generated (23 are listed in red). Being able to demonstrate that you know the answers to those questions will go a long way towards meeting the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards. The answers to the questions may come from speakers in ILAS 301 or Methods I, your subject matter 301 course, from the observations you make at the middle school level or from the sources listed in your annotated bibliographies. DUE as part of the common core April 28, 2008.
STANDARD 2 - Human Development and Learning
The competent teacher understands how individuals grow, develop, and learn and provides learning opportunities that support the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.
2B. understands that students' physical, social, emotional, ethical, and cognitive development influences learning.
2C. understands human development, learning theory, neural science, and the ranges of individual variation within each domain.
2D. understands that differences in approaches to learning and performance interact with development.
2E. understands how to include student development factors when making instructional decisions.
2F. knows the impact of cognitive, emotional, physical, and sensory disabilities on learning and communication processes.
Performance Indicators - The competent teacher:
2G. analyzes individual and group performance in order to design instruction that meets learners’ current needs in the cognitive, social, emotional, ethical, and physical domains at the appropriate level of development.
2I. introduces concepts and principles at different levels of complexity so that they are meaningful to students at varying levels of development and to students with diverse learning needs.
The middle school student is at an extremely interesting and challenging stage of development.
1. What are the characteristics of middle school students that differentiate them from other students? How do they differ socially, emotionally, cognitively and physically?
2. How should instruction be modified to meet the needs of the middle school student?
3. How varied are the learning methods of middle school students?
4. Other than in the instructional area, how else do middle school teachers have to modify what they do to reflect student needs?
5. Given that the diversity of students in a single class may be the greatest at the middle school level, how diverse are instructional levels of complexity?
STANDARD 3 – Diversity
The competent teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
3L. identifies and designs instruction appropriate to students’ stages of development, learning styles, strengths and needs.
6. How are the stages of student development identified and addressed?
STANDARD 4 - Planning for Instruction
The competent teacher understands instructional planning and designs instruction based upon knowledge of the discipline, students, the community, and curriculum goals.
4P. develops plans based on students’ responses and provides for different pathways based on students’ needs.
4S. uses individualized education program (IEP) goals and objectives to plan instruction for students with disabilities.
7. What different pathways are used in instruction?
8. What does the community, parents and the students themselves expect from the middle school experience?
9. What percentage of students with IEPs are present in the normal classroom at the middle school level?
10. How are IEP goals built in to the curriculum?
STANDARD 5 - Learning Environment
The competent teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
Knowledge Indicators - The competent teacher:
5A. understands principles of and strategies for effective classroom management.
5H. knows environmental arrangements that promote positive behavior and learning for students with diverse learning characteristics.
Performance Indicators - The competent teacher:
5I. maintains proper classroom decorum.
5J. maximizes the amount of class time spent in learning by creating expectations and processes for communication and behavior along with a physical setting conducive to achieving classroom goals.
5K. uses strategies to create a smoothly functioning learning community in which students assume responsibility for themselves and one another, participate in decision-making, work collaboratively and independently, use appropriate technology, and engage in purposeful learning activities.
5L. analyzes the classroom environment and makes decisions to enhance social relationships, students’ motivation and engagement in productive work through mutual respect, cooperation, and support for one another.
Middle school students have extremely varied behaviors and thus present unique challenges when it comes to classroom management.
11. What are some effective principles for managing the middle school classroom?
12. What are realistic expectations for communication and behavior at the middle school level?
13. Just how do you get middle school students to work together smoothly?
14. How is the middle school classroom environment different from high school?
15. How do you motivate middle school students?
STANDARD 6 - Instructional Delivery
The competent teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and performance skills.
6D. understands the disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to learning and how they relate to life and career experiences.
6L. develops curriculum that demonstrates an interconnection between subject areas that will reflect life and career experiences.
6O. adapts the general curriculum and uses instructional strategies and materials according to characteristics of the learner.
16. How much are life and career experiences built in to the middle school curriculum.
17. How are life and career experiences built in to the middle school curriculum?
18. How much does the curriculum or instructional strategies get modified when students with special needs are in the classroom?
STANDARD 9 - Collaborative Relationships
The competent teacher understands the role of the community in education and develops and maintains collaborative relationships with colleagues, parents/guardians, and the community to support students’ learning and well-being.
9D. understands the collaborative process.
9E. understands collaborative skills which are necessary to carry out the collaborative process.
9G. understands roles of individuals with disabilities, parents, teachers, and other school and community personnel in planning individualized education programs for students with disabilities.
Performance Indicators - The competent teacher:
9H. initiates collaboration with others and creates situations where collaboration with others will enhance students’ learning.
9I. works with colleagues to develop an effective learning climate within the school.
9J. participates in collaborative decision-making and problem-solving with other professionals to achieve success for students.
9N. collaborates in the development of comprehensive individualized education programs for students with disabilities.
9O. coordinates and/or collaborates in directing the activities of a classroom para-educator, volunteer, or peer tutor.
9Q. communicates with team members about characteristics and needs of individuals with specific disabilities.
9R. implements and monitors individual students’ programs, working in collaboration with team members.
Middle school teaching usually means teaching as part of a team. That is not always the same thing as team teaching.
19. Just how is a middle school team supposed to function?
20. What are the most important skills that a middle school teacher need in order to work well with the team?
21. How do non-teaching educational professionals fit into the team process?
22. How does the collaboration between middle school teachers improve the students' experiences?
23. What record keeping do middle school teachers have to do related to topics that may appear to be non-academic? (e.g. characteristics and needs of students with disabilities, ability to work in groups, IEPs, ...).